In the past, there is an environmentally friendly technique in which a color of a recording material on paper is erased by heating to enable the paper to be repeatedly used. However, for the environmentally friendly technique, an apparatus that erases an image is necessary separately from an image forming apparatus. Therefore, costs for installing the apparatus increase. Further, complicated work will be required. Therefore, an image forming apparatus imparted with a function of a decolorizing apparatus is proposed. However, the life of the image forming apparatus is reduced by driving during decolorizing.
When the image forming apparatus is used as the decolorizing apparatus, a sheet is discharged from a sheet storing section through a transfer section and a fixing section. If the image forming apparatus performs secondary transfer, when the sheet passes the transfer section, a secondary transfer roller and a transfer belt need to be driven. However, when the transfer belt is driven, the life of a drum is reduced because of friction of the transfer belt and the drum.